Media releases 2015

Parents anything but sun smart

The sun-smart message isn’t fully getting through to parents with over half (51%) admitting their children have been sunburnt, according to a survey by Southern Cross.

The survey into the living habits of Kiwis, conducted by TNS, has revealed the most common places for kids to get sunburnt is the beach or park (55%), school (23%) and home (23%).

Southern Cross Health Society CEO Peter Tynan says this is a worry as New Zealand is home to some of the world’s highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and has an already high rate of skin cancer.

In 2014 Southern Cross funded 49,232 skin procedures at a cost of over $41 million.

“The Skin Cancer foundation say one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma, so it pays to be extra careful, especially when dealing with young skin.”

The survey also showed that:

58% of Kiwis get sunburnt each year – rising to 72% for those under age 40

38% of those under age 30 sunbathe on holiday

22% of males don’t use sunscreen at all.

“We know it only takes a few minutes in the sun to get burnt – yet only 26% of people said they use sunscreen at least once a day.

“This could be due to myths about sunscreen causing cancer instead of preventing it, or simply because people are covering up more, or trying to keep out of the sun.”

The survey was conducted on behalf of Southern Cross who is looking into the living habits of Kiwis as part of its sponsorship of the new TVNZ show Kiwi Living.

“We want to get Kiwis motivated and making small changes that pay long term dividends with their health and wellbeing,” says Tynan.

Ends.

Note: The survey into New Zealanders’ Approach to Kiwi Living was conducted by TNS. The survey of 1650 New Zealanders aged over 18 was carried out in June 2015.

Below are results of the survey broken into age-groups and regions.

Total

Male

Female

Under 40

40 and over

Under 30

30 to 39

40 to 49

Over 50

During the sunny months, if you are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock?

More than once a day

8%

5%

11%

10%

7%

12%

6%

10%

5%

Every day

18%

13%

23%

20%

17%

18%

24%

17%

16%

Only on the weekends

3%

5%

2%

3%

3%

3%

4%

4%

2%

Only when in the sun for long periods

43%

43%

44%

48%

40%

48%

48%

40%

40%

Less often

11%

12%

11%

8%

14%

7%

10%

13%

14%

Never

16%

22%

10%

10%

20%

12%

8%

15%

22%

Total

1619

804

815

543

1076

282

261

300

776

During the sunny months, if your kids are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock on them?

More than once a day

29%

26%

31%

30%

27%

35%

27%

28%

25%

Every day

34%

36%

33%

37%

31%

43%

34%

31%

31%

Only on the weekends

4%

4%

3%

3%

4%

0%

5%

6%

0%

Only when the kids are going to be in the sun for prolonged periods

28%

30%

25%

21%

34%

11%

27%

33%

36%

Less often

3%

1%

4%

3%

2%

1%

4%

1%

4%

Never

3%

3%

3%

5%

1%

10%

2%

0%

5%

Total

360

185

175

157

203

35

122

142

61

How many times a year would you typically get sunburnt?

Mean

1.3

1.4

1.1

1.7

.9

1.9

1.4

1.3

.8

Get sunburnt at least once a year

58%

58%

59%

72%

48%

75%

68%

66%

41%

Don't get sunburnt in a typical year

42%

42%

41%

28%

52%

25%

32%

34%

59%

Total

1283

607

676

426

857

219

207

232

625

How often do you sunbathe when on holiday?

Every day

26%

20%

31%

21%

33%

18%

30%

34%

33%

Every second day

12%

15%

9%

10%

14%

12%

6%

20%

11%

A couple of times a week

41%

41%

40%

40%

42%

42%

34%

33%

45%

Once a week

14%

17%

11%

19%

6%

18%

20%

10%

4%

Less often

9%

8%

9%

11%

5%

11%

11%

2%

6%

Total

337

157

180

172

165

112

60

46

119

Which of the following statements best applies to you?

I have never used a sunbed

78%

80%

75%

77%

78%

83%

67%

73%

81%

I have used a sunbed in the past, but wouldn't again

13%

8%

18%

9%

16%

5%

16%

16%

16%

I use sunbeds regularly

1%

1%

1%

1%

0%

1%

1%

0%

0%

Rather not say

4%

6%

3%

6%

3%

6%

8%

7%

1%

Total

1650

825

825

563

1087

292

271

307

780

Has your child or children ever been sunburnt?

Yes

51%

47%

55%

32%

69%

29%

34%

66%

75%

No

49%

53%

45%

68%

31%

71%

66%

34%

25%

Total

359

184

175

155

204

35

120

142

62

Where were they when they got sunburnt?

At preschool

3%

7%

0%

11%

0%

17%

7%

0%

0%

At school

23%

18%

27%

21%

24%

19%

22%

22%

29%

Playing sports

15%

13%

17%

9%

18%

0%

14%

23%

7%

At the beach or park

55%

48%

61%

45%

59%

31%

53%

56%

67%

At home

23%

16%

29%

33%

19%

31%

34%

25%

4%

At someone else's home

21%

15%

25%

24%

19%

33%

19%

19%

21%

Somewhere else (please specify)

8%

12%

4%

10%

7%

15%

8%

8%

5%

Rather not say

1%

0%

2%

0%

2%

0%

0%

2%

0%

Total

179

85

94

44

135

7

37

88

47

Total

Auckland

Wellington

Chch

Hamilton

Tauranga

Dunedin

Rest of NZ

During the sunny months, if you are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock?

More than once a day

8%

6%

9%

7%

11%

8%

5%

10%

Every day

18%

23%

21%

18%

9%

15%

16%

14%

Only on the weekends

3%

4%

3%

3%

5%

2%

1%

3%

Only when in the sun for long periods

43%

45%

47%

49%

40%

43%

39%

40%

Less often

11%

9%

7%

9%

13%

13%

12%

15%

Never

16%

14%

12%

14%

22%

20%

26%

18%

Total

1619

295

299

295

144

149

147

290

During the sunny months, if your kids are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock on them?